Real Madrid became the last team to reach the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League after defeating Atlético Madrid in a controversial penalty shootout during the second leg of the Round of 16 held at the Riyadh Air Metropolitan Stadium.
As expected, the team led by Diego Pablo Simeone was the one to take the initiative in search of overturning the 2-1 deficit from the first leg. Just 28 seconds into the match, Conor Gallagher opened the scoring for Atleti with a right-footed shot inside the six-yard box following a low cross from Rodrigo De Paul. This goal made the series more interesting, turning the match into a back-and-forth battle with both teams seeking the goal that would take them to the next round.
The game continued with intensity and several scoring opportunities for both Atlético and Real Madrid. Controversy arose in the 20th minute when the ball hit Giuliano Simeone's hand, but the referee deemed it unintentional. In the second half, the colchoneros came close to turning the match around, but it was Real Madrid who had the chance to equalize with a penalty, which was missed by Vinícius.
After the draw in regulation time, the winner was decided in a dramatic penalty shootout in which Real Madrid was more accurate. Despite a disallowed goal by Julián Álvarez, the merengues managed to seal their passage to the quarter-finals with a sixth consecutive victory over Atlético in the Champions League. In this way, Carlo Ancelotti's team extended its dominance in the tournament and is now preparing to face Arsenal in the next stage.
